


Hogwarts: An Enchanted MMORPG

by PenelopeGrace



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Business AU, Camp Nanowrimo, F/M, MMORPGs, Online Relationship, gamers au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-24
Updated: 2018-04-24
Packaged: 2019-04-27 09:46:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14422767
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PenelopeGrace/pseuds/PenelopeGrace
Summary: Gamers + No Magic AU + TomioneIn which Hermione and Tom play a pay-to-win game called Hogwarts.





	Hogwarts: An Enchanted MMORPG

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Here be a Tomione Gamers AU no one has ever asked for. No Magic AU. Muggle AU. This is where Tom and Hermione play on a ptw game. ;) I can't believe I am going down this rabbit hole.

_I. Free Player_

It was a day of de-stressing that brought her to the game. The game, run by a British gaming company called Magic & Co., was a beautiful MMORPG with high quality graphics in a world of magic called Hogwarts. It was pleasing to Hermione for its simplicity and for providing Hermione a way to escape her life of constant studying between working an entry-level job at the data firm and taking the maximum amount of classes per semester at Oxford.

The first time she loaded Hogwarts, a red train on Platform 9 and ¾ appeared on her screen. A little textbox asked her if she was ready for the next big adventure. She clicked yes and then selected her appearance of her witch toon. She then boarded the train, her fingers twitching with excitement.

She played on it at a weekly basis, leveling up slowly since November on server number 12. She smiles when she takes a quick quiz at level 10, in which a dark brown old hat proclaims her as a Gryffindor, home of the brave and the bold. In the lower left corner, a little chat box shows dozens of hand-clapping emojis wishing "Crookshanks" congratulations for making it into their house. A house chat pops up, lines after lines of people asking her questions and introducing themselves.

At level 15, she was introduced to the Dueling Club. Quickly slamming the keyboard, she tried her wand and learned skills against her opponent and utterly had her arse handed back to her on a silver platter by a level 25 toon named CCannons. She initiated a battle against Mr. Big, a level 17 toon she beat easily. Two minutes later, she was hit by spam after spam of notifications of Mr. Big's failure to win a single battle against her.

Curling up in the corner of her dorm with the real Crookshanks at her feet and her laptop on her lap, she smirked.

Two hours later, an announcement across the server rolled across world chat. Mr. Big of Slytherin house cashed in, diving straight into vip 6. Hermione gawked. She had checked. It took 250 pounds to climb into vip6, and Mr. Big was a free player before he cashed. He shot up to top 10 in the Dueling Rankings in their server, constantly nipping at the feet of Natalia, a female witch toon No. 1 in rankings of magical capability. Natalia, then, was only a vip 7, only a step away from the highest vip level but far away from the highest  _svip_  level.

If Hermione even knew svip levels, levels above vip levels, were possible, she probably would had quit Hogwarts the same day she joined.

It was Christmas day in her second year of university when she decided to buy some elegant red robes and sleek black hair for her witch toon. She dropped 10 british pounds in the game, shot up to VIP 2, narrowly failed to beat Mr. Big, and didn't look back.

She giggled a little when she finally beat CCannons at level 64. Even though he was only VIP 1. It was a sign she was getting stronger.

_II. VIP 2_

She found a few friends in Hogwarts. Snorkack, despite being a Ravenclaw member, frequently teamed up Hermione in her adventures to the Forbidden Forest. Back to back, they cleared the hell level of the Forbidden Forest's west side. In team chat, Hermione discovered many of Snorkack's eccentric personality.

In team chat, she and Snorkack talked. She discovered Snorkack was a biology student at Cambridge University, planning to study rare medical diseases. In her first year of bio, Snorkack was looking for a different game. She was once part of the fast-paced arena game that took hours straight out of her day. Snorkack simply found Hogwarts a easier game to play with no need to constantly build her toons over and over again.

**Team VIP Snorkack: crook, u hear bout the new event? Triwizard? :/**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: cross server means we go up against players in other servers**

**Team VIP Snorkack: top 3 gets Felix potion**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: the luck potion**

**Team VIP Snorkack: do u hear something?**

Hermione narrowed her eyes. They were in the Forbidden Forest, the north side. It was different from the west side or even the east. For one thing, it was three times as dangerous, but this side was the least explored. There would be more resources here.

She turned her speakers up. Snorkack was correct. There was this odd purring sound coming up from ahead. Then it stopped. Hermione grabbed her mouse, her heart pounding.

**Team VIP Crookshanks: wands rdy**

**Team VIP Snorkack: rdy here**

A blonde male witch toon showing a decent amount of chest bursted from behind a tree. He grimaced at them, but made no motion to attack.

**Zone VIP bigdaddy: hi ladies**

Hermione quickly changed chat settings to talk in zone. Zone chat was only active for about 10 meters around another toon. It was different from team chat, where team chat allowed her and Snorkack to talk from great distances because they were on the same team. With team chat, they could easily be on opposite sides of the map and still be able to communicate. No one else except those in their designated team would be able to see team chat.

**Team VIP Snorkack: ugh "bigdaddy"**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: hey**

**Zone VIP bigdaddy: what are you ladies looking for?**

**Team VIP Snorkack: not a bigdaddy right crook? Lololol**

**Zone VIP Snorkack: tea cups almost 4 here**

**Zone VIP bigdaddy: Britain?**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: born & raised**

**Zone VIP Snorkack: my father told me the fairies brought me to this world in a picnic basket**

**Zone VIP Snorkack: I have no mum cause she was the tithe**

**Zone VIP bigdaddy: …**

**Zone VIP bigdaddy: have fun girls**

The toon turned around and went the other direction.

**Team VIP Crookshanks: lol snork**

**Team VIP Snorkack: I wasn't kidding**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: …**

**Team VIP Snorkack: okay I was**

Other than bigdaddy, they didn't run into anyone else in the forest. When they got back to the castle, she checked out bigdaddy on the dueling rankings. He was No. 8 on the list, in same house as the annoying Mr. Big.

Hmm. . . Who was the strongest dueler from her house?

Hermione scanned the top duelers list. Natalia, No. 1. Fierce and very nasty. Prone to curse people and possessed enough magical capability to cast the Killing Curse. But she tended to watch people suffer first. Mr. Big had dropped from No. 2 to No. 5. The current No. 2 was someone going by DigUrSelf from Hufflepuff. No. 3 was LadyChance of Ravenclaw. No. 4 was KillALot of Slytherin. And finally, at No. 6 was a Gryffindor. McHung.

Ugh. The very name disgusted her. Worse than Mr. Big and bigdaddy combined.

She found Snorkack at No. 44 in the list. Digging even more, she found herself at No. 47.

_III. VIP 3_

**Team VIP Snorkack: come on crook**

**Team VIP Snorkack: buy the hat**

The hat was an odd curiosity, in Hermione's opinion. It had two heads. One was of a falcon, the other a roaring dragon. It wasn't ugly, per se. But it was definitely an unusual sight.

Hermione sighed.

She pulled out her debit card and made a purchase of some in-game currency. The world chat lit up with announcement of Crookshanks become VIP 3 and earning new privileges.

Then she activated the strange hat, perfectly matching with Snorkack. And when she saw her magical capability increase, she didn't denied a little smile.

**Team VIP Snorkack: yay!**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: I blame you**

**Team VIP Snorkack: but you look good**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: in this hat? With these robes? I look terrible**

**Team VIP Snorkack: :P**

**Team VIP Snorkack: don't be so shy I like your outfit**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: aww thanks**

**House VIP Miss Kick: any1 here?**

**House VIP Crookshanks: yeah**

**House VIP gred: no y would any1 be here 4 u?**

**House VIP FORGE: right gred lolololol**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: I think I need new robes**

**Team VIP Snorkack: wait for sale**

Hermione rolled her eyes at House chat. There were like 30 people in her house, and they talked a lot. House chat is only active in the castle and Hogsmeade. She loved to wander to the Forbidden Forest to escape the fast-moving chat.

**Team VIP Snorkack: triwizard in 2 hours**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: feel like shopping?**

**Zone VIP Miss Kick: hey crook and snork what are you up to?**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: shopping**

**Zone VIP Miss Kick: same here looking for some robes**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: looking for something to help me place top 20 in triward**

**Zone VIP Snorkack: robes, potions**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: potions?**

Hermione sat back in her chair. She didn't know potions could be used that way. She had some hairs of Mr. Big that she was going to use in a doll to sabotage his battle against her. She wanted to make top 20 of the Triwizard Tournament, but with her ranking at No. 84 in her own server, it was not like she had a chance against top, more experienced players of the older servers or the big duelers of the younger servers.

She pulled up the list of potions on sale in the local shop.

With the Triwizard happening soon, Hermione knew LadyChance was not going to show up, because she was visiting family in China. bigdaddy mentioned a meeting with his business managers, so he wasn't showing up either.

Then there was Natalia in world chat.

**World VIP Natalia: u will fucking suffer**

**World VIP McHung: u won't beat me gorgeous**

**World VIP Natalia: u better hope u don't meet me u will DIE slowly**

**World VIP McHung: only if u can best me sweetie ;)**

**World VIP Natalia: watch urself**

**World . Moderator Tabby: Natalia, McHung, please stop. Please read your pm.**

PM stood for private messaging. Tabby, an employee of Magic & Co., monitored chat to make sure there was no drama or excessively abusive language.

Tabby was fairly no-nonsense and a stickler for the rules. But she was still a decent moderator. She knew how to push people's buttons in the right way and knew how to get the point across.

**Team VIP Snorkack: imma bribe peeves**

**Team VIP Snorkack: he likes bubble gums right?**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: can you get peeves involved in triwizard?**

**Team VIP Snorkack: y not? He attacks toons at a given name and time.**

Two minutes later, the announcement happened, blazing across chat in reddish text. Hermione would be lying if her jaw didn't drop a little bit.

**News: Snorkack has become VIP 6, earning more privileges.**

Snorkack went from 4 to 6, in one huge jump and buying spree.

**Team VIP Snorkack: peeves is ours for the next 2 hours :D**

Hermione's fingers itched. Then she scrolled through the potions shop, viewing one particular powerful potion that was permanent and marked as rare and limited. A magical capacity replenishing potion. Increased it by 15 points per second. It was expensive, even with the current discount. A little over 25 pounds, but it was a game changer for toons.

Normal price was equivalent of 450 pounds.

Hermione examined her own stats. Her toon had a magical capacity of three thousand. The Killing Curse cost 1,800 points each while the Disarming Spell took 400 points. Natalia, ruthless and op, had a capacity over seven thousand. Their replenishing rate was the same. 20 points per second.

Hermione grinned a little. Well, she did want to have a chance at top 20.

**News: Crookshanks has become VIP 4, earning more privileges.**

_IV. VIP 4_

Her toon easily took the potion. She smirked when she tested out the quicker rate on a dummy computer controlled toon she set up in the practice areas of Hogwarts. What a nasty surprise, she thought smugly.

Twenty minutes later, carriages with flying Pegasus landed in the courtyard of the castle.

Turning around and around, she found only about 10 toons from the server, not including her and Snorkack. Some not-as-good toons. Beatable. But her biggest opponents was Natalia, McHung, Mr. Big, and DigUrSelf.

And of course, the top players of the other servers from 1 to 15. She had never met them before, but she knew that she had a long way to go.

In the Triwizard, only the top 100 witches and wizards attending would be allowed to fight. Using the magic score, only the top 100 players with the highest magic scores would be allowed to duel.

Hermione's toon had a magic score of 446433. Natalia, who was No. 1 in her server, had a magic score of 1076443. Snorkack was 487686.

She let out a sigh as she moved the camera to glance out of the carriage window.

A piece of parchment appeared on the bottom right of her screen. It unfolded itself and congratulated her for making it to the top 100 players in the Triwizard by magic score.

Her first duel would be in five minutes of landing against a wizard toon of server 10 with 658393 magic score. Hermione closed the parchment and then made a quick examination of her bag. Some potions, a doll of the blonde Mr. Big, some vials of sand, dung bombs from FORGE who was sad at not being able to attend the Triwizard due to some scheduling conflicts, and an extra wand in case her main wand broke.

That was not to say that her say her toon could not cast. However, the cost for a wandless spell was too great a drain on magical capacity. Even Natalia, with her obnoxious amount of magical capacity boosted by weapons and special armor like necklaces, trinkets, bracelets, and such, would be nervous with a lack of a wand. She could not replenish her capacity fast enough at that taxing level.

The carriages set down at the Tournament. This area was opened to other servers, not just her own server. Hermione stuck close to Snorkack, but she could not help herself viewing information of the contenders and the spectators. There were colors everywhere, and zone chat was blazing furiously.

**Zone VIP stag996: it's not like I'm not tired**

**Zone VIP prongs: son u got to go to sleep and study before it's too late**

**Zone VIP padfoot: let him stay up its his college years**

**Zone VIP prongs: u just want to kick his ass cause he beat u at ping pong last night**

**Zone VIP prancer: his choice prongs**

**Zone VIP McHung: nah stag go to bed lolol I need to win**

**Zone VIP prongs: dibs!**

**Zone VIP padfoot: nope I'm kicking his ass first**

**Zone VIP prongs: I called dibs first**

**Zone VIP padfoot: I'm his godfather!**

**Zone VIP stag996: ...**

**Zone VIP prongs: and I'm his motherfucking father!**

**Zone VIP prancer: James sit down I'm kicking his ass**

**Zone VIP prongs: but**

**Zone VIP prancer: no butts when I'm through**

**Zone VIP padfoot: McHung gone**

Hermione was not surprised to see a distinctive lack of McHung in the nearby areas or the trees and tents. He truly had ran for it when the red haired witch toon labelled as a VIP 7 and named prancer threatened to kick McHung's ass. stag996 was no slouch himself, VIP-wise. He was at VIP 6.

**Zone VIP prongs: come on lils**

**Zone VIP prongs: triwizard is about to begin**

Hermione walked towards her tent. A glowing platform with a sign saying Crookshanks awaited her. She glanced at Snorkack, who stood in front of her own platform. A timer with ivory vines manifested at the top of her screen. 30 seconds. . .

Then 15.

Then 5.

Hermione's fingers itched. She wanted to win so badly,  _she could hardly breathe, she wanted it, never has wanted something so badly until_ now.

For at least top 20, it was a game of elimination. The first round wasn't one she must win. However, if she lost first round and lost the second. . . She was eliminated. If she managed to get into the later rounds, the most she was allowed was one lost duels. One more, eliminated.

Her witch toon stepped onto the platform at precisely 0 seconds in the timer. She blinked as a dueling arena formed around her.

A wizard toon across from her in the arena readied his wand. Hermione did so as well, determination settling into her finger tips.

A 10 sec countdown appeared on her screen.

She scanned the tall wizard ahead of her. The first thing she noticed was the bellowing black robes he wore. Then she noted his bald head and lack of nose. He raised a pale wand against her.

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: What server do you come from?**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: 12**

Then the duel began. He started off with a quick green jet of pure death, which Crookshanks quickly ducked. Hermione quickly clicked on her toon to move out of the way, waved her wand, and forced the ground to rise between them, hardening itself into a wall.

It was not a permanent shield, but it bought enough time for Hermione to scan that toon's info and capabilities. It was not anything like the overpowered Natalia, but it was well-built for its VIP 3 size. The toon was at peak, physically. Magically, it was lacking.

Peeking over the wall, she barely had enough time to roll away before a  _Reducto_  slams it into pieces. She saw his magical capacity took a hit with the Killing Curse and the  _Reducto._

She pounced at the opportunity.

Her toon recovered, casting a bouncing shield charm and then following up with a verbal Disarming Spell.

It worked, the pale wand flying towards her. The Killing Curse slipped from her toon's wand, hitting the stunned wizard in the center of his chest.

A little bubble by his head pronounced him dead. Hermione's toon whooped in excitement of a win.

A little parchment in the center of her screen asked her if she would like to exit the arena. She would have exited if it weren't for zone chat.

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: Congratulations for the win. That was a good fight.**

Hermione hit on the chat box with her mouse. She quickly typed out a reply.

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: thanks**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: you were not bad yourself**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: But you are better than me and quicker.**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: I have good reflexes**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: Why name yourself Crookshanks?**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: it's my cat. His name is Crookshanks**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: lol. I see.**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: You have a very high magic replenishing rate.**

Hermione paused, not sure how she wanted to answer this. If at all. There was a very large part of her that wanted to keep three steps ahead of her opponents.

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: I build myself right**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: Magic replenishing potion. The temporary ones or permanent?**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: permanent**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: You had a very good one. I suggest taking a temporary potion before battle. I think your rate would be stacked.**

Hermione raised an eyebrow. She honestly did not think of that. In fact, she had forgotten that temporary potions, which last for days or hours, exist.

She typed out a reply.

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: thank you i never thought of that**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: You're welcome. :)**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: How do you like the game?**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: it's great great graphic here virtually no lag… I can go on**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: Please do. :)**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: I really love the friends I made on here it's great**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: See any bugs?**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: bugs?**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: Things that don't work out like they're supposed to.**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: well only one thing**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: Which is?**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: in one of the shops called familiars the animals don't match their description**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: I see. I will have to look at that.**

Hermione cocked her head, tilting it slightly in suspicion. Deciding to take the bull directly, she typed out a question and hit enter.

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: are you a mod?**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: lol, no. Just a concerned player.**

A pause.

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: I had an issue with a bug earlier today. I attempted to buy a potion, but it took my coins and did not give me the potion.**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: that's bad**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: I was asking customer service to help me, and they fixed the issue in an hour. They asked me if I knew of any other bugs.**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: other than the mismatching animal description I can't give you anything else**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: I will report to them about that. Thank you, Crookshanks.**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: Good luck on your next battle.**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: thanks**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: :)**

A warning appeared on her screen, telling her that if she did not hit the ok button immediately, she would be brought back to her platform in 2p seconds.

She clicked on the ok button.

Next to Snorkack once again, she quickly typed. It would be only a minute before the next battle.

**Team VIP Crookshanks: so how did you do?**

**Team VIP Snorkack: ran into digurself**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: And?**

**Team VIP Snorkack: he lost peeves ate him**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: lol**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: nice job**

**Team VIP Snorkack: hopefully he's out**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: yep**

**Team VIP Snorkack: u used the dung yet?**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: nope not yet**

**Team VIP Snorkack: Good luck**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: you too**

The second battle was not difficult for Hermione. It was against someone who went out like a candle standing lit in a wind. Which is to say, not very long at all.

**Zone camcam: ur strong**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: thanks**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: second battle for you today**

**Zone camcam: I lost both today**

**Zone camcam: still had fun even tho my butt is so sore atm**

**Zone camcam: was great will get ice later :D**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: that's good to hear**

**Zone camcam: Gn**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: Good night camcam**

She wasn't too surprised at beating camcam. After all, he was only a free player. While she was all the way up at VIP 4.

**Team VIP Snorkack: u seeing the info? Ranking?**

Hermione nodded at the screen. On the right of the screen was something new. A yellow piece of parchment gave her a ranking number.

Her placement was currently No. 36.

**Team VIP Crookshanks: yep**

**Team VIP Snorkack: where u at?**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: 36**

**Team VIP Snorkack: 32 here**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: I want top 20**

**Team VIP Snorkack: same**

**Team VIP Snorkack: rewards are good there**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: ikr**

The third battle was against CCannons. He barely had fired his leg-locked jinx before Crookshanks had him on the ground and twitching.

A little bubble by his head counted down. If he couldn't beat her jinx in 10 seconds, he lost the duel.

It passed easily.

**Zone VIP CCannons: oww**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: oops**

**Zone VIP CCannons: yeah bloody right lol**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: first loss?**

**Zone VIP CCannons: yup**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: Good luck**

**Zone VIP CCannons: ty**

This time, Hermione was listed at No. 13 while Snorkack was No. 10. There were 14 opponents who had perfect wins in the row, according to the box. 14 of them with one loss and facing elimination. All in all, 28 still in Triwizard at the moment.

She couldn't wait to know whether or not she hit at least top 20. She just needed to survive one more battle at the very least.

Her odds were very good. But she didn't want to acknowledge the win. At least, not yet.

**Team VIP Snorkack: Good luck**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: you too**

The platforms glowed for both of them, drawing them into the next arena. Hermione's toon stood against a wizard toon appearing as if he was a washed up rock star on self-medication or something. He held him his wand against her.

**Zone VIP moony: Good luck**

**Zone VIP moony: :)**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: you too**

The countdown finished at 0, and the duel began. His wand flashed with a sort of light bomb with a bang.

Hermione's toon shielded her eyes. Blindly, she cast a stunning spell and then a  _Protego_ in short succession.

Her eyes recovered 5 seconds later as her toon swiftly dodged a red jet of light racing past her head. She whipped her wand at moony, slowing down his movements.

Then she saw something strange. Or rather, heard something strange.

A cool female voice said, "Your opponent has disconnected from the battle. If he does not regain connection in 60 seconds, you will automatically win this duel."

moony disappeared from her view, and a countdown box in the center of the screen appeared.

When it crossed 0 seconds, Hermione was pulled back to her starting platform. Snorkack was not there yet, but her rankings box has updated.

Hermione was currently at No. 10. With 11 people still in at one loss and. . .

She squinted. The box had refreshed. Hermione was then listed at No. 8. Then No. 6.

She let out a slow breath. She was in top 20. Without a single doubt. She cheered a little, doing a small pump in the air. The rewards at very good at this level.

Now. . . She narrowed her eyes. She wanted top 10 now. The rewards were even better there.

The platform next to her lit up. Snorkack was back from her duel.

**Team VIP Snorkack: hahahahahahahaha**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: ?**

**Team VIP Snorkack: peeves ate McHung and shot bubble gums all over his hair**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: lol**

But Hermione was a tiny bit sad that the red haired witch named prancer would not be able to duel McHung unless she herself had lost one battle.

**Team VIP Crookshanks: we are close**

**Team VIP Snorkack: we made top 20**

**Team VIP Snorkack: cheers!**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: whoo whoo**

**Team VIP Snorkack: ikr**

**Team VIP Snorkack: I so want the money**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: lol i want the luck potion**

**Team VIP Snorkack: aim for money**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: lol okay**

If she was surprised her next opponent was Mr. Big, she showed no indication. Mr. Big, on the other hand, allowed his surprise known clearly.

**Zone VIP Mr. Big: wow how did u make it this far?**

She decided not to dignify that one with a response at all.

**Zone VIP Mr. Big: scared crooky?**

Not that one either.

Hermione gripped her wand at him, ready to summon her secret weapon.

**Zone VIP Mr. Big: I bet u are a social butterfly irl right?**

The countdown ends at 0. With an  _Accio,_ Hermione summons the doll of Mr. Big out of her bag. Mr. Big set up a shield already, thinking she was attacking first.

He then tried the Torture Curse, but he found his aim totally off. Grinning, Hermione twisted his arm, bending it completely and breaking it at the bone.

Mr. Big's toon screamed in pain.

She had to admit it. It was a bit worth it, not responding to his taunts like she would have done in real life. She probably would had personally introduce his nose to her fist. It would had been a beautiful first and last introduction.

**Zone VIP Mr. Big: stop it!**

She broke his legs a few times, after kicking his wand out of his hands. Then bored of hearing his screams, she twisted the doll's neck.

A bubble pronounced him dead.

**Zone VIP Mr. Big: that went longer than necessary**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: /shrugs/**

After this battle, she was placed among the top 5. Snorkack lost her battle. Someone actually remembered how to cast the banishing charm for Peeves and Snorkack got the full hit of the Torture Curse.

**Team VIP Snorkack: it sucked but peeves did good while I had him**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: I'm going to die next battle**

**Team VIP Snorkack: just bore him in zone chat lol**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: maybe I can seduce him**

**Team VIP Snorkack: lolololol**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: :P**

**Team VIP Snorkack: u can do it!**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: Good luck**

**Team VIP Snorkack: hope u get top 3 ;)**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: thanks**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: stay alive**

The platform glowed again. This was close to the end, Hermione knew. 7 people still in. One player would not be battling. 4 had no losses while 3 had only one.

She really hoped Snorkack does not run into Mr. Big. Well, maybe Snorkack would be fine. But she wasn't sure. Hermione had something up her sleeve.

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: Oh, it's you again.**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: wow twice in one day**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: Good luck, Crookshanks.**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: thanks**

The countdown ended at 0, and the duel began and was over quickly. Hermione, agile and ready, already thrown a stunner at the wizard toon.

It impacted immediately, right in the center of his chest. A little bubble appeared. When he was unable to get up, the game declares Crookshanks as the winner.

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: That was too fast for me.**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: I'm sure you could have blocked**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: Could I have?**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: you were faster in the last battle**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: Perhaps I got distracted.**

Hermione sat back, settling against the wall. No, she got the feeling he wasn't the type to get distracted at all. There was this sense, this undeniable thought, that he was holding himself back by a lot. And there was this sense. . .

Well, she shook it away. Perhaps he was indeed distracted.

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: thank you**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: You're welcome. Hope we do it again someday. Just not as fast as today's.**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: You're nicer than most on here**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: Am I?**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: well in this entire conversation you didn't mock me or talk about your big penis**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: . . .**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: yeah idk why people do that**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: You could take a screenshot and then report it to your server's moderator, who would then take action against the offender.**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: Screenshots?**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: Pictures of what's on your computer screen.**

Hermione sat back. Screenshots? She didn't even know she could do that.

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: What type of computer do you have? Apple, Dell. . .?**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: hp**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: On the top of your keyboard is a button called prntscr. You hit that and then press crtl+v in a folder.**

Hermione tried it and wasn't surprised to see it worked.

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: wow thanks**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: you helped me out twice today**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: I don't mind. If you need to report someone for inappropriate language, send it through customer service.**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: you have done this before?**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: A few times, unfortunately.**

A few moments passed.

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: where are you from?**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: Great Britain. I'm British. And you?**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: same as well**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: Good to hear. My server is crowded with Americans in world chat all day.**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: lol**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: What do you do in real life? Medicine? It can't be computers if you don't know how to take screenshots. ;)**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: very funny har har**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: I do data crunching**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: Oh? Actuary? Business?**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: sort of. More like a consulting firm that specializes in analyzing data**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: e.g. population stats, voting patterns, internet traffic.**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: Fascinating.**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: and you? What do you do?**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: Not much. I mostly manage a things here and there. I want to say I am a freelancer. Not really stuck to one thing.**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: What was the last thing you were doing?**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: if you don't mind me asking**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: Data crunching like you, I supposed. Except I was analyzing financials in a big company.**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: that doesn't sound like a freelancer.**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: It doesn't?**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: you sound like one suit in the line of very many suits**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: So I sound like a corporate penguin?**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: no just not sure where the freelancer element comes in**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: I only worked for them for five months and then quit.**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: in a series of jobs?**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: In a series of jobs. Correct.**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: What else have you done?**

Before she could fetch a response or a reply out of him, the arena kicked them out. Hermione was one of the six duelists left. Snorkack was not lucky enough and was slaughtered by Natalia, ending up in 7th place.

**Team VIP Snorkack: I really hope you make it crook**

**Team VIP Snorkack: I'm going to head back to server to buy some things**

**Team VIP Snorkack: Good luck**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: thanks**

As far as she knew, the six left were her, Mr. Big, Lord Voldemort, and Natalia. She had no clue who were the other two players still in.

A little box in the right corner of her screen rolled over and glowed brightly yellow. Hermione clicked on it.

A pm from Lord Voldemort.

**Lord Voldemort: Teacher's assistant, a shop boy, a junior assistant, interns at various firms and corporations. . . I've been to a lot of places.**

**Crookshanks: Graduated from university?**

**Lord Voldemort: Cambridge University.**

**Crookshanks: What major?**

**Lord Voldemort: Business.**

**Lord Voldemort: Are you studying?**

Hermione paused. Then she shrugged. What the hell.

**Crookshanks: yes at Oxford**

**Lord Voldemort: Very nice. Area of study?**

**Crookshanks: mathematics**

**Lord Voldemort: Thinking of doing Actuary?**

**Crookshanks: yep**

**Lord Voldemort: I had a few friends go into that. A lot of studying in there.**

The platform glowed, pulling her toon into another battle.

**Zone VIP stag996: hello**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: hey**

**Zone VIP stag996: Good luck**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: thanks you too**

Out of all the duels she had, by far, this one was the closest to being an actual duel. The ideal duel, in fact. Her opponent was a practical duelist, pragmatic to the core. He didn't do any fancy tricks nor any showy light show.

He was not interested in drawing out the fight like Natalia was. He slipped a stun in the hole he created in her shield and took her out.

**Zone VIP stag996: Great battle**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: you are good at this**

**Zone VIP stag996: came from server 10, just had more practice than you**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: I see**

**Zone VIP stag996: but nice duel you were the only one who didn't pull any tricks and was a challenge**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: lol**

Now only 4 were left, according to the box. She was currently placed at No. 3, but she had no idea if she could beat the next person.

Especially if it was Natalia.

And she was so close to the luck potion. . .

Standing alone and without Snorkack on the nearby platform, she waited for the countdown to end to take her to the next battle.

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: I think there must be a bug in Triwizard, if you and I keep meeting. Third time.**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: I'm not sure how the triwizard is even run**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: I can tell you that it should not be making you and me duel 3 times unless there were no other opponents.**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: maybe there is no one else?**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: Perhaps. stag996, you, me, and flickaway are in top 4. We both lost exact one battle, not counting the loss in the first battle, while the other two have perfect records.**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: /surrender/**

A female voice said, "Congratulations, you have won this battle and places third in the Triwizard Tournament."

Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. Perhaps he was not distracted as he claimed to be in the second battle against her.

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: why surrender?**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: We both know who would have won.**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: Besides, I think you need the rewards more than me. ;)**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: that's cocky**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: Not at all. I really like this game. I am only VIP 3, but I think I want to drop more pounds in here. Get stronger.**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: I'm lucky I can put some pounds but I have to pick carefully**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: I think you can build very strongly if you carefully think of what you want to buy.**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: Your purchase of a permanent Magical Replenishing potion is a great start.**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: Congratulations on third place, Crookshanks.**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: thank you**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: for your help**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: with all the help and advice you gave me, you should have placed first**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: Don't worry. I'll get it next time.**

Hermione laughed. He was really confident.

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: I'll see you around**

**Zone VIP Lord Voldemort: You too.**

Her toon boarded the carriage and headed back to her respective server. Third place, third place, she thought. But she couldn't help but think of what Lord Voldemort said.

I am only VIP 3, but I think I want to drop more pounds in here.

She shivered. She was only VIP 4, but she had a really strong feeling he could go much further than she could and ever would go.

_V. VIP 5_

She was casual in her spending. Whenever there was a robe or a hat that caught Snorkack's or her attention, she bought it. They were about 10 pounds each. It was not the worse spending she had done, but she was happy playing with Snorkack and trying to one-up Mr. Big. She loved to explore the deeper mysteries of the Forbidden Forest's north side, and she could not resist unlocking new skills and learning new spells.

She didn't really notice how much stronger she was getting in the rankings. Hermione was not one to consistently check every day of her rank like Mr. Big or bigdaddy or even Natalia. In her practice duels against Snorkack, she did, however, notice how her magical capacity was larger than before thanks to boost from weapons and hats and clothes she bought. She even seemed to be stronger and more agile than before.

It was during spring break of her second year when the announcement took off in world chat and system alerts.

**News: Crookshanks has become VIP 5, earning more privileges.**

It was more privileges. This time, by becoming VIP 5, she had unlocked a fedora and the ability to wear it on her toon. The other set, which included some nice robes, shoes, and a bag, was unlockable at higher VIP levels. Robes unlocked at 6. Shoes, 7. Bag, at 8.

VIP 8 was special. There was a mystery box promising some rare and unexpected items. When Natalia went up VIP 8 a month ago, she found an entire set of black clothes. It included black, smooth hair, a black corset, a thick black cloak, black leather high heels, and ebony skirt. She had not taken it off her toon since she put it on.

She was the first to go up VIP 8.

Since then, Mr. Big had gone up. He earned a new wand called the Elder Wand, which amplified his spell power by 10 percent. bigdaddy found a new familiar in the form of a bright white peacock, which passively helped his shield charms. McHung quickly dropped a lot of pounds into the game and grabbed a new broomstick, promising his toon quick reflexes and agility and the ability to complete in the World Cup if he was the best in his server at Quidditch.

Others closely followed. DigUrSelf was closing in at VIP 8, hanging around VIP 7 for the last few months. LadyChance had completely disappeared from the game, mostly likely quit. Snorkack stayed at VIP 6, only dropping a few pounds here and there. KillALot was weird. He logged in at odd hours, dropped a lot, and then went inactive. Then he logged in again, dropped a lot, and then went inactive for week at a time.

The Gryffindors were not as crazy in terms of spending. Miss Kick, FORGE, gred, CCannons, and a few others were lower VIPs compared to the Slytherins. FORGE and gred and her had the highest VIPs in the house currently. They were all at VIP 5. With the exception of McHung at VIP 8, but few in Gryffindor considered McHung to be even in their own house. Half of the time, he didn't show up for House Wars in which one House held the flag and had to fight off three other houses. No liked it when Slytherin held it except for Slytherin.

They were capable of holding the flag for an entire week without breaking a sweat until the attacker's buff became too strong for Natalia, bigdaddy, and Mr. Big to hold back.

Back in the Forbidden Forest, Hermione and Snorkack was looking through the bushes for some rare magical creatures.

**Team VIP Snorkack: u saw the announcement?**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: yep**

**Team VIP Snorkack: server merge with server no. 10**

**Team VIP Snorkack: strong Gryffindor, weaker Slytherin, some op toons in Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: merging at 00:00 server time**

**Team VIP Snorkack: yup new friends**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: new blood**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: fast house chat**

**Team VIP Snorkack: Ravenclaw is always quiet**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: gred and forge are annoying af**

**Team VIP Snorkack: they set up a trap or something?**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: some hallucination spell in the common room half of the house was bonkers or sleeping**

**Zone VIP Crookshanks: people had to send tickets to customer service bc it wasn't wearing off**

**Team VIP Snorkack: u figured out where they get this stuff?**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: nope**

The two witch toons collected a few more potions ingredients in the west of Hogwarts castle. Hermione played until midnight, when her eyes were starting to droop from exhaustion.

**Team VIP Snorkack: oh before i forget**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: yes?**

**Team VIP Snorkack: add me on facebook?**

Hermione paused. She wasn't sure if she wanted to. She enjoyed Snorkack's company, for certain. But it was a step towards admitting Snorkack existed outside of the game. It was strange, for one. And for another thing, she wasn't sure if she was ready to unleash herself.

However, she still had a pen and a pencil ready.

**Team VIP Crookshanks: ill find you tomorrow morning**

**Team VIP Snorkack: Luna Lovegood. Profile pic is of two golden chains in the shape of dna**

**Team VIP Snorkack: u cant miss it**

Hermione wrote down Snorkack's real name. Then her hands slipped back to her keyboard. Almost of their own accord, they typed for her.

**Team VIP Crookshanks: Hermione Granger**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: my cat is my profile pic**

**Team VIP Snorkack: Hello, hermione. :D**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: hi luna**

**Team VIP Snorkack: gn**

**Team VIP Crookshanks: gn**

The next day, Hermione headed to work after befriending Luna Lovegood on Facebook. Working at Kingsley, Green & Dolce, she found the work to be very, very different each day. The numbers were familiar, working in usual patterns. Sometimes, they were unusual as well due to some factor Hermione had to figure out. But she would be lying if she said that the work was easy.

It wasn't. It required her absolute concentration.

"Hello, Mr. Kingsley," she said, each morning as she passed by the aging senior partner in the elevator. He didn't really know her, but he had seen her enough and knew her name and knew she was somewhat pleasant to be around. That was enough for Hermione.

Mr. Kingsley nodded to her and pressed button numbered 10 for top floor. The senior partners' offices were all at the top. The junior were below. Kingsley and his selected partners specialized in accounting and financials. Green was the one to approach if their client was a political campaign looking to understand their voters. Dolce's area was more international compared to the other two senior partners. His team were located in an office in a third world, undeveloped country. Looking for diamonds in the rough was what Hermione's mother would call it.

As an almost entry-level employee (she was close to being a regular analyst once she gained enough experience, credits, and her degree), Hermione had worked with all three at some point during her one-year-long career at this firm. She was lucky to even obtain the position, after completing her summer internship with the firm after her first year at Oxford. Only about 2 or 3 interns out of the pool of 20 were chosen every year.

She sat down in her cubicle on second floor. Her lunch was under her desk, and her computer was switched to off. She turned it on, and the speakerphones emitted a warm humming sound.

She checked her email first. Kingsley's senior assistant alerted her and her manager of a new client wanting their financials to be refined at exactly 9 o'clock in Conference Room 4c.

Hermione was familiar with these. She would take a few notes here and there, run a few tests to see how the company can increase their profits, or make sure their profits were not inconsistent in any way. Then she would extrapolate the data to predict future earnings.

10 minutes before the meeting, Hermione sat in the conference room, waiting for her manager to arrive. Mr. Greengrass was not one to be on time for meetings, but she was certain she could stall for 5 minutes or so before he would actually arrive.

5 minutes before 9 o'clock, Hermione's head popped up at the sound of the door opening. A young man, standing proudly straight and neater than a pin, wore a careful suit with a dark green tie. He placed his dark brown briefcase on the floor and politely raised his hand in front of him to Hermione.

Immediately, Hermione stood up, her cheeks pink. She really hoped her bun did not possessed a single hair out of place. Or perhaps, her morning bagel did not drop a crumb on her blouse. Next to him, she felt like at a distinctive disadvantage.

His hand was warm against hers, not sweaty at all. She was pleased she was able to give him a steady, firm handshake.

"Good morning. I'm Hermione Granger. I am the data analyst you'll be working with." She let go of his hand and gestured to the seat across from her. "Please."

"Thank you. I'm Tom Riddle from Magical Entertainment."

"Mr. Riddle," she said warmly. "Mr. Greengrass should be in soon. We have already evaluated the estimates Mr. Orion Black has sent along with the data of the company's profits in the last six months."

"Yes, the virtual reality glasses. Preorders are meeting the company's standards, and we believe that the early reviews we requested at your recommendation are in our favor. However, there is a major project of Magical Entertainment we can to be analyzed." He removed a thick packet from his briefcase, sliding it across the table.

She opened the packet, scanning through the summary. Offhandedly, she noted, "A lot of names your company has blacked out, Mr. Riddle."

"Only the project names and some key employees. We don't want many to know what this project is until we see whether or not it's viable." A pause. "The last year was a test of sorts for the project. To see if it was viable for us."

Her mind quickly shifting into logical thoughts and processes, she scanned through the crucial numbers easily. "Browser based?"

"Yes. Though if the customers wanted, they could download the optional program onto their computers."

265 employees currently. Average pay of 65385 pounds, before tax. A little over 107 million pounds to develop the project in the first place. 4 years in development. 3 thousand pounds per server to be maintained each year, and this project had 15 of them with more being planned later this year. Electricity bills, internet bills, backup generators, advertisement, the list went on and on. There were so many things that had to be consistently paid for or else the project went downhill fast. At the very bottom of the page was the final amount of pounds it took to maintain this project.

On the next few pages were monthly profits. The first month was slow, sluggish in profits. There wasn't a lot of money coming in, and according to the report, the only advertisement was a few ads placed in Facebook, Twitter, and other social media. It wasn't too expensive either, but it got the first curious customers. After that initial phase, the project's fame was spread through word of mouth and the company stopped buying out ads. The first month earned enough money to cover the maintenance expense for the year.

The second month's profits was doubled. Number of customers went up as well, as the game, the application, the program gained popularity. It was in the third month did it break the one million pounds mark in overall profits.

The current month had already crossed profits of the previous month and showed not a single sign of slowing down. The numbers of customers quitting was low compared to the numbers of customers joining and the amount of money currently being brought in by the game.

"Do the developers know what they are doing?" she asked. "They are making sure that the game is not too expensive? As long as they continue to provide consistent support to the game and create a competitive environment, the game would continue to have its upward momentum."

The client's representative sat back. Tapping his pale, long fingers on the glass table, he cocked his head. "You have played a pay to win game before, Miss Granger?"

She nodded, thinking of Hogwarts.

He leaned in, curiosity lurking in his eyes. "How much did you spend?"

"More than I thought I ever would."

Satisfied with her answer, he straightened once more. "The developers do know what they are doing. They have seen the failures of previous games like this one and sought to make it far better than the one they were working on."

"I don't recall Magical Entertainment ever having a pay to win game."

He only smiled at her. Then he looked towards the glass door and called out, "Good morning, Mr. Greengrass."

"Morning, Mr. Riddle," Hermione's boss greeted. "Morning, Hermione. Let's get to work, shall we?"

"Of course," smoothly replied Mr. Riddle.

She was beginning to show the summary report to Mr. Greengrass by sliding it to him before Mr. Riddle's hands quickly intercepted it. He stuffed it back into his briefcase.

Mr. Greengrass's beady eyes stared at his shifty movements. "What exactly was that, Mr. Riddle?"

"A pet project of Magical Entertainment, Mr. Greengrass. I was merely showing a summary report to Miss Granger for a second opinion."

Mr. Greengrass said, "I think I should see it."

"No," Mr. Riddle simply answered.

She was surprised that Mr. Greengrass didn't ask any further about it. Instead, they went back to Magical Entertainment's growth and development.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Another A/N: Hogwarts is inspired by World of Warcraft, League of Legends, and a couple other MMOs I have played. Including a hellish p2w (pay to win). And this Justice League mobile game that was very pvc.
> 
> I know some of you probably don't recognize the toon names, but I made a list of who I think would possess each toon. In order of appearance. . .
> 
> Toon name. . . Real name.
> 
> Crookshanks. . . Hermione Granger.
> 
> CCannons. . . Ronald Weasley.
> 
> Mr. Big. . . Draco Malfoy.
> 
> Natalia. . . Bellatrix Lestrange.
> 
> Snorkack. . . Luna Lovegood.
> 
> bigdaddy. . . Lucius Malfoy.
> 
> DigUrSelf. . . Cedric Diggory.
> 
> LadyChance. . . Cho Chang.
> 
> KillALot. . . Theo Nott.
> 
> McHung. . . Need to guess here, lol? I blame sharky for this. In case you don't know, it's from her fanfic centering around Hermione exploring the great perils of online dating and unfortunately running into this idiot.
> 
> Miss Kick. . . Ginny Weasley.
> 
> gred. . . Fred Weasley.
> 
> FORGE. . . George Weasley.
> 
> Tabby. . . Minerva McGonagall.
> 
> stag996. . . Harry Potter.
> 
> prongs. . . James Potter.
> 
> padfoot. . . Sirius Black.
> 
> prancer. . . Lily Potter.
> 
> Lord Voldemort. . . Tom Riddle.
> 
> camcam. . . Colin Creevey.
> 
> flickaway. . . Professor Flitwick.


End file.
